XAT is one of the most competitive MBA entrance exams conducted by Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur. It is held in the first Sunday of January each year. XAT Exam Pattern changes each year while the syllabus remains same.
- XAT is conducted in offline mode.
- The exam is pen and paper based.
- It is divided into two papers, Paper-1 and Paper-2.
- The syllabus for XAT has been mentioned in the article and books for preparation have also been recommended.
XAT 2017 Exam Pattern
The exam pattern for XAT has been tabulated as follows:
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Type | Pen and Paper based |
| Number of Questions | 78 |
| Duration of Exam | 170 minutes |
| Marking scheme | a. Penalty of 0.25 marks for every wrong answer b. No penalty for GK and essay questions |
| Paper 1 comprises | a. English language/ Verbal or Logical Reasoning b. Decision making/ Analytical reasoning c. Quantitative ability/Data interpretation |
| Paper 2 comprises | a. Essay writing b. General awareness |
Weightage of each section of both the parts of exam has been explained in detail below:
| Paper | Sections | Number of Questions | Time Duration |
| Paper 1 | Verbal and Logical ability | 26 | 170 minutes |
| Decision Making | 23 | ||
| Quantitative Ability | 29 | ||
| Paper 2 | General knowledge | 25 | 35 minutes |
| Essay writing |
There is a deduction of 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in Paper-1 while there is no negative marking in Paper-2.
XAT 2017 Syllabus
Candidates need to be well aware of the syllabus in order to score well in XAT exam. The exam is divided into 2 parts where Paper-1 comprises 78 questions and the time allotted to solve them is 170 minutes. The questions in Paper-1 are from the following topics:
- Verbal and Logical Ability
This section tests your English skills and logical ability and includes categories like:
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Reasoning
- Vocabulary
- Sentence Rearrangement
- Sentence Completion
Ways to attempt Verbal and Logical Ability
- Majority of questions in verbal ability are based on reading comprehension passages. So, candidates shall be well versed with critical reasoning, sentence correction, fill in the blanks and vocabulary usage.
- Knowledge of grammar skills are an advantage. One can work on his/her grammar skills by reading newspapers and magazines which will help you in enriching your vocabulary.
- Decision Making
A total of 23 questions from this section were asked in XAT 2016. Decision making section includes different categories, namely:
- Algebra and Functions
- Number System
- Geometry
- Co-ordinate Geometry
- Arithmetic Sequence
- Mixtures
- Probability
Ways to attempt Decision Making
Aspirants are advised to work on their decision-making skills since questions based on tables, probability, linear arrangement, puzzles and sequential arrangement are included in this section.
- Quantitative Ability
Quantitative ability section is considered to be the toughest of all and a bit difficult to attempt last year. Basically, this section comprises of following:
- Arithmetic
- Geometry
- Mensuration – 2D and 3D
- Probability
- Algebra Functions
- Graphs
- Heights & Distance
- Direction Sense & Time
- P&L
- Trigonometry
- Clocks
- Speed & Distance
- Statistics
- Table
Ways to attempt Quantitative Ability
In order to score well in the Quantitative ability section, candidates need to practice it well. Aspirants are advised to solve problems related to quantitative ability from fifth to tenth standard textbooks.
Paper-2 of XAT comprises of 25 questions and time allotted to solve them is 35 minutes. The questions in Paper-2 are from the following topics:
- General Knowledge
This section is very basic and consists of approximately 30 questions which are based on current happenings and static GK.General Knowledge section comprises of:
- Literature
- Sports
- Awards and Recognitions
- Merger & Acquisitions
- Politics
- Business
- Economics
- International Relations
- Society
- Nation and states
- History
Ways to attempt General Knowledge
Candidates don’t need much preparation for this section since it is based on their previous knowledge of current events. All that needs to be done for this section is reading newspapers every day.
- Essay Writing
Essay writing is something which we have been practicing since our school times. If one is good at writing, he/she does not have to worry at all regarding this section.
Ways to attempt Essay Writing
Essay writing is basically testing one’s knowledge and writing skills and there are no set guidelines to be followed. Candidates can work on their thought processes to gain an edge over others in this section.
Preparation books for XAT 2017
Candidates can refer to any of the books mentioned below for their preparation for XAT 2017. These books shall provide a clear understanding of questions and will serves as a guide to attempt each section. Some of the XAT preparation books are:
- Target XAT Simplified by Disha Experts
- Jabbing the XAT with solved papers by R.K. Jha
- XAT XLRI – MBA Entrance exam A/4 by Chandresh Agarwal
- Koncepts of number for XAT and other quantitative exams by Gajendra Kumar
- Target new XAT – Past papers and five mock papers
- XAT entrance test for MBA examination by Gautam Puri
- XAT Xavier Aptitude Test solved sample papers by Gautam Puri
- The Accredited guide to problem solving and the data sufficiency: A must have resource for aspirants for XAT by Ananta Ashisha
- The hand on guide to analytical reasoning and logical reasoning: A must have resource for the aspirants of XAT by Peeyush Bhardwaj
- Quantitative aptitude for XAT by Arun Sharma
- Data Interpretation by Arun Sharma
- Quantitative aptitude Quantum XAT by Sarvesh K Verma
- Verbal ability for XAT by Ajay Singh
- Verbal ability and reading comprehension by Arun Sharma and Meenakshi Upadhyaya
- General Knowledge by Manohar Panday
Source: www.collegedunia.com
